Police consider charging owners

CREWS ARE WORKING HARD TO REOPEN OBT AND TAFT VINELAND. WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN IT'S OPEN. OUR OTHER BIG STORY, PIT BULL ATTACK. THREE MEN IN ONE NIGHT. ONE MAN HAD TO HAVE SURGERY. THE OTHER IS SHARING HIS STORY WITH LOCAL 6. THE FIRST HAPPENED BEFORE 4 A.M. NEAR STATE AND WALKER AVENUES. THE OTHERS HAPPENED JUST HOURS AND JUST BLOCKS AWAY. LOCAL 6'S KRISTIN GIANNAS IS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH MORE ON THE ATTACKS AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE DOGS NOW. ANTHONY LEWIS TELLS ME HE WAS FIGHTING WITH THE DOGS FOR 10 MINUTES, TRYING TO GET THEM OFF OF HIS ARM AND LEG. HE WAS JUST ABOUT TO GIVE UP WHEN A MAN JUMPED OUT OF HIS TRUCK ON THIS ROAD WITH A BASEBALL BAT AND SCARED THE DOGS OFF. LEWIS SAYS IT'S A MIRACLE NO ONE WAS KILLED. THOSE DOGS ARE DEMONS. THE 44-YEAR-OLD ANTHONY LEWIS IS ONE OF THREE MEN ATTACKED BY THESE PIT BULLS EARLY THIS MORNING. POLICE FOUND THE TWO DOGS AN HOUR BEFORE CHILDREN BEGAN WALKING TO SCHOOL. JUST THINK IF I WENT ANOTHER ROUTE, THOSE DOGS WOULD HAVE STILL BEEN OUT THERE, READY FOR THE KIDS TO GET ON THE BUS. AND THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HORRIFIC. THE DOGS TOOK LARGE CHUNKS OUT OF LEWIS' ARM AND LEG AND SENT ANOTHER MAN INTO SURGERY FOR THE BITE ON HIS LEG. BEFORE THEY WERE PICKED UP AND TRANSPORTED TO HALIFAX HUMANE SOCIETY. THE MEN POLICE SAY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DOGS, TWO BROTHERS, AND THEY DIDN'T ANSWER THE DOOR. POLICE BELIEVE THE DOGS ESCAPED THROUGH AN OPEN GATE IN THE BACKYARD. A NEIGHBOR TELLS US SHE'S SHOCKED AND THE PIT BULLS ARE GOOD DOGS. WE'VE GONE OVER THERE, BOTH OF THE DOGS, THEY JUST COME LICK US, THEY'RE FRIENDLY TO ME AND EVERYONE. BUT LEWIS SAYS THE DOGS SHOULD BE PUT DOWN AND THE BROTHERS SHOULD BE CHARGED WITH THE CRIME. IF THEY SAID THE DOGS WERE UNDER THEIR CARE, THEN THE DOGS SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ON THE STREETS. THOSE DOGS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ON THE STREETS. THE BROTHERS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEFEND THEIR DOGS AT A HEARING THAT'S ALREADY BEEN SCHEDULED FOR THE END OF THE MONTH. IT WILL BE DETERMINED THEN IF THE DOGS ARE DANGEROUS ENOUGH TO

HOLLY HILL, Fla. -

Two aggressive pit bull mix dogs were taken to the Halifax Humane Society after attacking three people early Friday morning in separate incidents.

The Holly Hill Police Department began searching for the dogs after a man walking near State and Walker avenues suffered severe injuries to his left lower leg. Billy Boles, 42, tried to flee from the dogs before the 5:30 a.m. attack, police said.

Police were unable to locate the animals at that time, and then, around 5:30 a.m., another attack occurred.

Quick Clicks

Frank Andrsano, 69, was attacked in the 1200 block of Ridgewood Avenue by the same dogs as he walked to work. He suffered bites to both arms and legs.

About 30 minutes later, a third victim showed up at Halifax Hospital with multiple dog bites.

Anthony Lewis, 23, was attacked and knocked off his bicycle near Ridgewood and Flomich streets.

"He bit all the way through my skin and these are the claw marks," Lewis told Local 6 on Friday.

Lewis said one dog had his arm and the other dog had his leg, sending him to hospital for surgery on his leg.

"I was trying not to go down because if I did I knew my neck and my face would be right there, at their disposal," he said.

Holly Hill police officers located both dogs at a home in the 1300 block of State Avenue and took the animals into custody. The owners, Michael and Anthony Berkert, both 21, of 1346 State Avenue, were interviewed by officers.

According to statements, the Berkerts own one of the dogs and the other is owned by a friend known only as "Elizabeth," who is currently incarcerated.

A preliminary investigation has determined that the animals escaped through an improperly secured gate at the rear yard of the Berkerts' home.

“Due to the aggressive nature of these multiple attacks, a Special Master hearing will be scheduled at which time we will request that the dogs be declared dangerous and ordered euthanized.” The dogs, a male (Trip) and a female (Roxy), are being transferred to the Halifax Humane Society for quarantine.

Roxy, has a prior incident on file involving a dog-on-dog attack.

Neighbors of the owners tell Local 6 they think the pit bulls are good dogs.

"We've gone over there both of the dogs, they just come, lick us," said Danielle Krinsky. "They're friendly to everyone."

Watch Local 6 News and stay with ClickOrlando.com for more on this story.

Copyright 2013 by ClickOrlando.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Comments

The views expressed are not those of clickorlando.com, WKMG or its affiliated companies. This is a community moderated forum (Please note the 'Flag' button). By posting your comments you agree to accept our Terms Of service

Today's Clickers

Snow and sub-freezing temperatures are no reason to hibernate. Adopt a new winter sport this year and to get outside for your exercise! Use our interactive calculator to figure out how much it will cost to get outfitted for these cold-weather sports.